Hunting is a sport that requires skill and patience. For example, deer hunters typically track animals on foot or wait in stands for animals to approach. Hunting stands are frequently installed on trees in wooded areas, or built as freestanding structures in fields and other open areas, and are generally accessible by some form of ladder.
Because wildlife is usually most active early in the day and again in the evening, hunters prefer to be settled in their stands by the time the sun is rising in the morning and stay in their stands until after sunset. Particularly in wooded areas, it can be difficult to quickly locate a stand on a tree, climb up into the stand while carrying a firearm and other equipment, and get settled when there is low or no light. Further, it is advantageous for a hunter to remain as quiet as possible in order to not disturb or drive away any wildlife in the area.
While it can be logistically difficult for a hunter to get settled in a stand, a more important consideration is safety. A hunter trying to climb into a tree stand while carrying a firearm and other equipment, for example ammunition, food and water, and binoculars, and using a flashlight to illuminate the area could damage equipment, fall from the stand, or drop the firearm. The danger is exacerbated in many popular hunting areas in cold weather climates, where bulky clothing and inclement weather conditions such as rain, snow, ice, and freezing temperatures further hamper a hunter's safe climb into a stand.
Once a hunter is settled into a stand, he or she must wait patiently for a deer to come by, watching for signs of movement among the trees. It can be difficult for a hunter to monitor the entire area surrounding the stand for subtle signs of movement indicating the presence of an animal. Caution must also be used because movement that a hunter might believe is wildlife could in fact be another hunter or person or a domesticated animal.
Systems have therefore been developed to aid hunters in detecting motion that might indicate the presence of wildlife. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,450,060 discloses a system with one or more sensors that detect motion within a given area, and at least one remote receiver that notifies a hunter or outdoorsman that motion has been detected. The remote receiver can be a receiver with visual (i.e., LEDs) or audible (i.e., beeping tone in an earphone), or both, to alert the hunter outdoorsman that one or more of the sensors has been activated by motion within its range.
Other systems for detecting motion are also generally known, although not specifically adapted for hunting applications. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0067385 discloses a motion sensor system that has several sensor units. Each sensor unit is freely movable, easily hidden, and includes a motion sensor and a wireless radio frequency (RF) transmitter. The motion sensor system further includes a receiver unit, which includes a wireless radio frequency receiver and a device for communicating receipt of a signal to the user. When at least one of the motion sensors of at least one of the sensor units detects motion, the wireless radio frequency transmitter transmits a signal to the radio frequency receiver of the receiver unit. The receiver unit then communicates receipt of the signal to the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,356,192 discloses a bi-directional wireless detection system that detects at least one event of interests and comprises a detector, a programmable controller, and a network. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0011471 discloses a motion sensing apparatus having a control module and a slave module.
While these and other systems are capable of detecting motion and communicating the same to a user, these systems do not address the safety issues described above with respect to the ability of a hunter to locate a stand in little or no light. They further do not aid a hunter in ascending a tree, getting into the stand with a firearm and other equipment, and getting settled safely.
Therefore, there is currently a need for a system to aid a hunter in monitoring a geographical area and detecting motion in the area. There is also a need for such a system to aid a hunter is locating and safely ascending a hunting stand when there is little or no light.